Branch holder



June 21, 1960 R. K. MOGEY 2,941,767

BRANCH HOLDER Filed June 14; 1957 INVENTOR. 205E21- K. MOG-EY .AW'TOQNEYS United States Patent O BRANCH HOLDER Robert K. Mogey, Sydenham Road, Wan'enville, NJ. Filed June 14, 1957, Ser. No. 665,675 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-42) This invention appertains to improvements in holders and particularly relates to a novel and improved branch holder for securely holding a branch to a tree, such as a Christmas tree, thereby permitting a branch to be added to the trunk so as to make the tree more symmetrical and enhance the asthetic value thereof.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a branch holder or'brackt which can be easily and simply attached to the trunk of a tree for securely attaching a branch to the trunk at any desired point, the bracket or holder providing a cradle-type support for the branch so as to securely support it and being attached to the trunk in a simple and secure manner.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a cradle-type branch holder, within which a branch can be cradled and which is provided with means for holding a wire or the like attaching element, which is adapted to encircle the branch and secure the branch in a cradled position in the holder.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a holder or bracket which is provided with means for securing it to the trunk of a tree in angular outstanding relation thereto, so as to support a branch in a proper upwardly inclined position, without any undesired side movement or sway of the branch.

The foregoing and ancillary this invention, the preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the branch holder, showing the same in attachment to a tree trunk for securing a branch in the desired relation with the trunk;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the holder;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, taken on line 33 of Figure 2, and,

Figure 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the holder is formed.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the bracket or holder is preferably formed from a single piece of sturdy but inexpensive material, such as sheet metal or the like. The holder is primarily intended for use in connection with Christmas trees to attach a branch to the trunk of the tree at any desired point, so as to enhance the asthetic value of the tree. However, such environmental use is merely an exemplary use of the holder, since it can be used for other purposes, wherein it may be desired to attach an element to an upstanding support.

As shown in the drawing, the holder 10 is formed from a single sheet of material, as illustrated in Figure 4, and is designed to cradle a branch 12 and securely support the branch for attachment to the trunk 14 of the tree.

The holder 10 is substantially U-shaped or arcuate in cross section so as to provide a cradle-type support for the branch 12 which is disposed lengthwise in the holder. The holder includes a web portion 16 and opposing side walls 18 and 20, which are formed, adjacent the end 22 and on their upper edges with V-shaped notches 24.

objects are attained by 2,941,767 Patented June 21, 1960 Aligned, circumferentially speaking, with the notches 24 is an outstruck portion 26,-which is struck out from the web portion 16 and forms a loop for locating a wire or the like element 28 that is adapted to encircle the branch and secure the branch in the holder. The wire 28 is threaded through the loop 26 and passed within the notches 24 so as to locate it against movement axially of the holder, the wire encircling the branch and securing the branch in position within the holder.

Means is provided for securing the holder to the trunk in an upwardly inclined position, as shown in Figure 1, and against movement with respect to the trunk, so as to secure the branch in an upwardly inclined normal position and against any side movement. Such means includes triangular end portions 30 and 32, which are formed integral with the sides of the side walls. The triangular end portions or projections 30 and 32 terminate in slightly curved outer end edges- 34 and 36, w ch are disposed at an acute angle to the. web and inclined one end of the holder 38 that are adapted to penetrate the trunk 14, as shown in Figure l, and thereby locate the holder against any movement relative to the trunk. The end portions or projections 30 and 32, because of their rearwardly and upwardly inclined end edges 34 and 36, will dispose the holder in an upwardly inclined position relative to the tree trunk, as shown in Figure 1.

The triangular portions 30 and 32 are formed with aligned openings 40 through which a wire or similar flexible element 42 is passed. The Wire 42 is adapted to encircle the trunk 14 so as to anchor the holder to the trunk in the upwardly inclined position, as shown in Figure 1.

-In forming the holder or bracket, the blank, as shown in Figure 4, is formed in any suitable fashion from a single sheet of material and the notches 24, openings 49 and barbs 38 are formed integral with the holder, in the initial formation of the blank. The loop 26 is formed by providing parallel axially extending slits 44 in the sheet, adjacent the ends 22. The sheet is then bent along its axis, at the center line thereof, so as to form the U-- shape, whereby the branch can be cradled therein. Of course, the width of the holder can be varied, depending upon the diameter of the branch and, further in this respect, it is to be noted that the holder is formed from a malleable material so that the side walls can be bent towards or away from each other to accommodate branches of varying diameters.

In using the holder, the branch 12 is placed within the holder and, after the branch is cradled in the holder, the wire or similar element 28 is threaded through the loop 26 and encircled on the branch and then twisted or suitably tied so as to secure the branch 12 within the holder. The holder is then attached to the trunk at the desired point by forcing the barbs 38 into the trunk, whereby the holder is stabilized and prevented from moving relative to the trunk. The wire or similar element 42 is then passed through the openings 40 and secured around the trunk so as to securely anchor the holder to the trunk.

While the preferred embodiment of this invention has- U-shaped bracket having a web portion and opposing side walls herein, other forms may be scope of the appended claims.

formed at form prolongations thereof and extend above the side walls, said projections having outer end edges disposed 18 and 20 at one end of the holder and which upstand therefrom and constitute projections rearwardly and upwardly from -the and formed with outstanding barbs at an acute angle to the web portion and extending rearwardlyand upwardly relative to the web portion, said end edges being formed with outstanding axially projecting barbs to be embedded in a tree trunkand dispose the bracket in an upwardly and outwardly inclined angular" position to the tree trunk, the projections being in spaced confronting relation and having transversely aligned openin'gs, a flexible element entered through the openings and adapted to encircle the tree trunk for holding the end e'dgesin fixed contact with the tree trunk so as to dispose the bracket in a secure upwardly and outwardly inclined position and means carried by-Vthe bracket for securing a branch therein.

2. A branchholder for a tree comprising an elongated embedded in a tree trunk and dispose the bracket in an.

upwardly and outwardly inclined angular position to the f "2,941,767 i A.

tree trunk, the projections being in spaced confronting relation and having transversely aligned openings, '4; flexible element entered through the openings and adapted to encircle the tree trunk for holding the end edges in fixed contact with the tree trunk so as to dispose the bracket in a secure upwardly and outwardly inclined position, said side walls having upper free edges, said edges being formed with transversely aligned notches, an eye formed in the web portion in alignment around the bracket with the notches and a flexible element passed through the eye and located thereby relative to the bracket and adapted to fixedly encircle abranch cradled in the bracket and to lie in the notches so as to be prevented from sliding along the long axis of the bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

